


just bros bein' dudes

by cinnabun



Category: The Venture Bros
Genre: Awkward Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 10:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15047303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnabun/pseuds/cinnabun
Summary: 21 and 24 cuddle in the breakroom. Y'know, like bros.{ 4k Commission for a client on tumblr }





	just bros bein' dudes

* * *

 

God, what a day it had been.

From the moment 21 had clocked in, the Monarch had buried him in work. Go here, do that, stop them, get this, check that, etc., etc. By the time he’d reached his legally required break, his legs ached, and all he wanted was to drop to the cool linoleum floor and pass out for a few hours.

Or a hundred, whatever offered more relief.

But of course, he couldn’t. Because as soon as his break ended, he was back on patrol. It was a miracle that he’d managed to make it through the whole shift, most of that good luck he pinned on 24’s presence.

If they were going to suffer, then they’d do it together. That, at least, gave 21 some semblance of comfort.

“Can you believe this guy?” He grumbled, pulling the hood from his head. His hair tumbled out, oily and tangled. 21 huffed, blowing a few stray strands away from his eyes. “Like, what the hell is going on in that weird, butterfly brain of his?”

“Dunno,” 24 shrugged. The elastic of his outfit snapped against his skin as he tugged at his gloves. They were coated in mud, poison, and other various things that he didn’t really want to think about. “Maybe Doctor Girlfriend’s been banning him from bedtime boinking.”

“Boinking?” The phrase caught him so off-guard that 21 hardly had a moment, graciously so, to think about his boss in bed with his long-time crush. “Who says that? _Boinking_ , sheesh what are you, 12?”

“Hey, plenty of people say boinking!” 24 snapped back, waving one hand about dramatically. The other was buried in his locker, shifting various objects around as he rummaged for something. “And I was going for alliteration.”

“More like a-loser-ation,” 21 snorted. God, the suit felt so sticky and gross against his sweaty skin. Body-odor clung to him like a toxic cloud. “Ugh, dude do you have any body-spray in there?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Here.”

A bottle was sent flying in his direction. 21 squeaked, just able to catch it before it nailed him right between the eyes. “Hey, watch it!”

24 just waved him off.

Grumbling, 21 turned the bottle over. His lip curled as he took in the title of the spray. “Fresh mountain spring?”

“What?” 24 asked in a scandalized tone, “I like smelling like nature. It keeps me calm on the stressful days.”

“I’m gonna need more than a bottle of perfume to get this edge off,” 21 muttered. Through gritted teeth, he stripped the uniform off, painting his skin in a thick layer of sweet-smelling spray. “Hey, it really does smell like a mountain spring.”

“See? I told you.” 24 pulled off his hood, black curly locks pinned back on his forehead through what was a very quickly receding hairline. The bags under his eyes were darker than normal.

“Yeesh, dude, when’s the last time you slept?” 21 flinched. “You look terrible.”

“Oh, yeah, because you’re a real beauty-contest winner.” Came the sour reply.

“Chill, dude, just making an observation.”

Things went quiet for a moment. 21 suddenly felt very awkward and very naked. Maybe it was just the lack of energy catching up to him. Usually, he had no problem stripping at work, even in front of 24. The two had spent so much time together that being naked around each other was, like, not even a big deal.

But man, things felt weird today.

“So, uh,” he began awkwardly. Come on man, say something not weird!

“We’ve got a few minutes…wanna like, sleep together?”

Fuck, that was the complete opposite of what he was going for.

“What?” 24 made a choked noise.

“Uh, dude, not like—that’s not what I meant!” 21 scrambled to explain. All of a sudden it felt like his entire body had bursts into flames. From the way his ears burned, he knew that he had to be blushing up a storm. “Just like—you look tired man, you need rest. So, like. I’m tired too and we could, like, nap or whatever?”

Ohmygod, this just sounded worse and worse. Stop talking you idiot!

But he didn’t. Of course, he didn’t.

“And the couches here actually don’t suck as much as they could. Turns out the Monarch at least has the common decency to give us henchmen some type-a relaxation stuff.” He forced a laugh. “I’m waiting for him to install a personal massage station, _then_ we’ll really be talking.”

The tension melted away when 24 shot him a cheeky grin. “Oh, man, I know what you mean. This place could use a spa.”

21 chuckled again, this one a bit more genuine. “Yeah. I mean, anyway. I’m gonna hit the hay for a bit, try to get my energy back up before I gotta head back to the Cave.”

“Cave?”

“Yeah, dude, my pad.” He waved his hands through the air, in what he hoped was a cool-looking pose. “My digs, my man cave.”

“I’d just call it a house,” 24 stepped closer, and for a brief moment, 21 felt his heartbeat jump. A lump began to form in his throat, his tongue cottony and dry. Lately he’d always started feeling like this when they were together. It was so weird, because, like, they were best friends.

But not like that. Because that’d just be weird. Totally weird.

It wasn’t like he thought about this sort of thing often. Or stayed up late at night thinking about his friend.

Definitely not.

“Whatever, dude, don’t judge me.” 21 turned, lacing his fingers behind his head casually. “So, you comin’ with, or are you headin’ out?”

He watched 24’s face scrunch thoughtfully, a hum bubbling in the back of his throat as if he were deeply considering his options. “Mmm, yeah, I guess I could sneak in a few Z’s. It’d be the first real break I’ve had all week.”

“Sweet!” 21 flinched. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “Let’s go.”

The walk there was the easiest part. Despite the way his nerves were screaming at him to turn tail and run for the hills, 21 managed to keep his composure. Which was shocking, especially to himself.

Of course, the break room wasn’t much to look at, not that they were planning on taking their time or anything. Really, he just wanted to get this over and done with as quickly as possible.

Then again, it had been his idea.

So, he was kind of torn between excitement and the ever-growing urge to vomit.

“So.” 24 mumbled. The two of them stood just a few steps away from their goal: a run-down, tattered couch covered with a lot of stains. Not to mention that it smelled. But it was surprisingly comfortable and the best place for a cat-nap, if you were looking for one. “Which one of us in gonna be on the bottom?”

“What?!” 21 whirled around. His mind immediately brought up images of…”similar” situations. If either of them was gonna be on the bottom, it definitely wouldn’t be him! Not that he could really imagine 24 being on the bottom, either. Not that he thought about this sort of thing often. Because he didn’t.

In fact, he wasn’t thinking about it right now.

Stop thinking about it.

“The couch isn’t big enough to lie on with two people,” 24 replied quickly. Maybe it was just the way the light was catching on his angular face, but 21 almost swore that he could see a red flush crawling across 24’s cheeks. Probably not, though. Cause that’d mean that he was thinking of the same thing.

And if they were both thinking of the same thing, then that meant…

“Oh, uh, right!” He laughed, far too forced and for way too long, “Well, I can tell you that I’m definitely not gonna be the little spoon in this situation!”

Now that it made more sense (or at the very least, the subject had turned to something easier to mentally digest), 21 felt a bit more comfortable saying it. Being on the bottom—when cuddling—was alright with him. Besides, 24 was like, a total stick. He’d be the worst pillow.

“You’re like, all sharp edges.”

24 laughed. “Yeah, and you’re no edges!”

Once again, the tension was ebbing away. 21 found it easier to breathe somehow and was so relieved that he didn’t even react to the jab at his weight the way he usually would.

“At least I wouldn’t end up, like, taking someone’s eye out!”

“At least I wouldn’t end up crushing someone to death!”

“Hey, c’mon man!” 21 cackled, bumping his friend with his hip. “You’re just jealous of my good looks.”

“As if!” 24 snorted. He rolled his shoulders, a yawn bubbling up from deep inside his chest. As he stretched, 21 tried not to stare at the way his back arched.

It wasn’t like, attractive or anything. He just looked super bendy, like a bamboo stick. And freakishly graceful. It was weird. Not hot. Just weird.

Yep.

24 hummed, his expression sleepy in a way that made 21’s mouth run dry. “Enough talking, more sleeping.”

Shoving his very out-of-place thoughts as far as he could from the front of his mind, 21 shrugged, forcing a yawn himself. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

He was the first one on the couch. Duh, it wasn’t like he was going to let 24 be the big spoon here. He was just too pointy. And tall. And their bodies fit together better this way—wait.

No. Shut up. They were more organized this way. Not as awkward.

For the brief moment that he laid there, on his back, 21 could feel his heart pounding. 24 stood just over him, looking just as confused and lost on what to do. The longer they sat there, in a standstill, the weirder things felt.

“Ohmygod, just! Freakin’ lay down already!” 21 squeezed his eyes shut and held out his arms. He could feel his hands shaking. “Don’t make this any weirder than it has to be.”

“Trust me, dude, this is about as weird as it’s gonna get.” As 24 spoke, 21 felt his hands connect with the frame of a body. Holy shit, he was holding 24. 24 was laying against him. They were really doing this.

For a moment, however briefly, he dared to peek up.

Holy fucking shit dude.

24 hovered just inches away from him, his cheeks burning a kind of red that you usually only saw in cheap B-Rated horror flicks. His eyes were half-lidded, looking an equal mix of tired and something 21 just couldn’t (or maybe was afraid to) place.

21 bit down on his tongue, eyes clamped shut again. 24’s mouth had been open, just a touch, but the hot breath that washed across his face was enough to send goosebumps down his spine.

They laid there, pressed against one another, in what was undoubtedly the world’s more uncomfortable looking pile imaginable.

Both of their bodies were locked up, the tension so thick that 21 was scared to breathe, much less move. Every twitch had him pressing into 24 even further, and the warmth of his friend’s body was making his mind hazy.

Dude, this was so fucking weird.

“Can this get any weirder?” He whispered in a hoarse, wheezing tone.

24 shrugged against him. His legs dangled off the edge of the couch, like the beanpole that he was. “I’m sure it could. What if someone, like, walks in?”

Ohmygod he hadn’t even thought of that. “We’ll have to knock them out. Make ‘em forget they saw anything.”

“I’ve got a tranq gun in my locker,” 24 offered. “If you hold them down, I’ll shoot.”

“Awesome, that’s—wait, why do you have a tranquilizer in your locker??”

He was silent for a moment. “No reason in particular. Let’s change the subject.”

Odd as it was, that tiny exchange had helped their situation.

21 felt less…weird about the whole thing. Sure, they were two bros snuggling on a couch in their evil overlord boss’s employee break room. But it was only weird if they made it weird.

And he didn’t wanna make this weird.

“So…uh…how are things?” 24 was the one who spoke first. “I mean, other than the whole, y’know, lackey thing. Because we work together, mostly.”

“That, my friend, is an understatement.”

“Well, yeah, but, like. How are things at home? How’s your mom?”

21 groaned. “Oh dude, don’t even get me started on my mom. She’s such a nag, it’s like nothing I do is good enough for her!”

“What do you do?”

“I…! I, uh…”

His mind was running blank. What did he do for his mom, other than leech off her patience and financial support? Damn. All of a sudden, her aggravation with him was beginning to make more sense. He didn’t want to think about that.

“I’m her son! So…that means she has to love me.” 21 hated how child-like he sounded. All he needed to do was cross his arms over his chest to complete the look.

24 snickered, “Yeah, alright dude. Whatever you say, man.”

“Don’t give me that!” Without thinking, 21 pulled 24’s head closer, burying his knuckles in his friend’s hair. Despite how thin it was, he had to admit. 24 smelled great. Maybe he was right about that whole “smelling like nature” thing.

…How long had he been breathing in?

This was getting freaky again.

He pushed 24’s head back, a palm planted firmly over his face. 24 said something, but the words were muffled against the skin of 21’s hand. “What?”

“Mmhph—mmph!”

21 blinked. “ _What?”_

The taller man tore the hand from his mouth, eyes wild and cheeks flaring as brightly as they ever had. “You almost choked me!”

“I did not! I was just, like…” What could he say to justify himself that didn’t make him sound like an even bigger loser than he already was? Probably nothing. Best to change the subject as fast as possible. “Anyway, what about you? How are things going at home for you?”

24 blinked slowly, as if he was regaining his focus. 21 took the moment, then, to realize how they’d ended up situated. Though he’d been pushed away, 24 hung over him. He had to look up to meet the other’s gaze. Their faces were closer than ever, and the room was suddenly getting very hot, very fast.

21 forced himself to look away. “Anyway! Home! How doing! For you?”

Ohmygod, he was the biggest loser in the whole universe. He couldn’t even keep his words straight around his _crusssss_ —best friend.

Best friend! Best friend.

Friend.

“Oh, it’s, uh…” 24 let his voice trail off, his attention turning with his body. He faced the ceiling, one arm still wrapped around 21’s shoulders for support. Like this, they probably really looked like a couple.

21 begged his subconscious to shut up.

“It’s fine.” He continued after a moment. “Workin’ hard to hardly work! Y’know?”

That was terrible, but they laughed anyway.

“I mean, it’s been a little rougher than normal, but you probably don’t wanna hear me bitchin’ and moaning about it.”

“Definitely not. What are you, a total pansy?” They laughed again, though 21’s inside twisted with concern. The next words were said in a slow, cautious tone. “But, like, if anything is going on that you wanna talk about. You can totally talk to me, cause. Y’know. We’re bros an’ all.”

“Yeah, bros.”

As the silence fell over them, 21 felt his fingers trace along the back of 24’s neck. When had he started stroking his hair? He’d been doing it almost absentmindedly and had only now realized it. It wasn’t the skin-to-skin contact that he’d noticed.

It was the sound 24 made.

He’d sighed, deep and heavy, in the way someone who was much more tired than they were letting on would. 21 instinctively curled his fingertips into the curls near his friend’s scalp. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” 24 confirmed. Maybe it was just the mood in the air, or the warm intimacy of their bodies pressed together, but 21 found the confidence to tighten his hold on the man next to him. Like a child curling into their parent’s side, 24 leaned into him. His chin settled atop 21’s head.

21 could feel his breath, scalding hot, against his forehead. He was certain that if he turned, even a little bit, he’d feel 24’s lips against his temple.

And he was so tempted. So very tempted.

“Are you sure?” He asked again, softly.

There was quiet, just for a moment.

“Kind of,” 24 answered finally. “I don’t know man, usually these kinds of things don’t bother me, but…”

“But?”

“Do you ever think about, like…dying?”

His thoughts came to a screeching halt. “Dying? Dude, listen, if this is as serious as I think it is—”

“No!” 21 jumped. 24 had yelled right next to his ear. “Sorry. No. Not like, like that or anything. It’s just like. We get sent on all these crazy adventures. And somehow we always make it out okay.”

“Oh, dude, not this again! You’re gonna jinx us—”

“Seriously, 21.”

That shut him up. 24’s voice was deep and serious. It made his guts churn. He felt terrible. He felt…uneasy.

He felt scared.

“We’ve watched so many people die.” His fingers dug deep into 21’s uniform. “Somehow, we always make it out. Somehow, we’re always the ones who are okay.”

24 sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

“But what if…that doesn’t last? What if one of us doesn’t make it out?”

21 tried to swallow the lump growing in his throat. “Dude don’t even talk like that…”

“I’ve been having nightmares.” The words tumbled out in a rush, hurried and frantic. “It’s the weirdest thing because I haven’t had real nightmares since I was like 12 but lately, it’s been…I’ve had so much trouble sleeping…I keep having these dreams. And nightmares. About us—”

He took a breath. His lips brushed 24’s temple, trembling and rough. “I keep dreaming that…that you don’t make it out, man. And when I wake up, I’m so scared. I can’t lose you, man. I don’t want to lose you.”

“Dude…” He didn’t really know what to say. Everything that came to mind just felt…stupid. He felt stupid. But he had to do something.

So, he did.

Despite the alarm bells, and the butterflies in his gut, and literally everything else that tried to convince him otherwise, 21 held 24.

“Held” is a strong word. Cradled is the closer definition. They were pressed so close together that each trembling breath one of them took could be felt coursing through the body of the other. God, it was awkward. But 21 didn’t care. His friend was having a melt-down and this was the only thing he could think to do.

From the way 24’s shaking hands came to rest on the dip in his back, it was the right thing to do.

Time passed like that, feeling so much longer than it really was. The two men clung to each other like frightened children. 21 tried hard to ignore the burn cresting his eyelids. 24 was already crying, he had to be stronger. He had to stay strong for him.

“Listen, man,” he started. His voice broke.

He stopped, cleared his throat, and tried again.

“Listen to me, man. I know I tell you not to jinx us all the time, but…but I’m scared too. It’s totally possible one day that our luck will run out.” 24’s grip tightened, his breaths shaky. 21 stroked his hair. “But I want you to know that, as long as I am here with you, I will never let your luck run out. I mean, who would I have to hang out with if you died? I’d finally be that friendless loser my mom always tells me that I am.”

His laugh was dry and weak.

“You’re my best friend, dude.” 21 leaned into the curve of his friend’s body. With his ear pressed to 24’s chest, he could hear his heart fluttering like a bird in a cage. It was racing.

That brought him a little bit of comfort, because at least he wasn’t the only one feeling like this.

“I will never, ever let you die on my watch. I’d go through hell and back before I let that happen.”

24 shifted, pulling away. 21 bit back the urge to yank him back down again. He was scared of letting go.

Then, with a teary, melancholic smile, 24 leaned over him. It was the very definition of a romantic pose, his body curved over that of his friends, his hands digging into the pillow begin 21’s head. Any closer and they’d be practically kissing.

21 held his breath as 24’s hot tears dripped down onto his face.

“Do you mean it?”

He sounded so scared. Despite the fact that he was a total beanpole of a man, 24 had never looked smaller. Maybe it was instinct driving him forward, but 21 took the chance, and slowly raised a hand to his friend’s face. 24 leaned into it, nuzzling his palm like a kitten would.

“Of course, I do.”

As 24 leaned closer, 21 felt his heart pound against his ribcage. What was he doing? Was he really gonna…?

No, he wasn’t.

Instead, 24 just gentle nestled his head into the dip of 21’s neck. But that alone was enough to make him freeze up, limbs locked and frame trembling. God, they were so close. All he had to do was turn his head and they’d be…

“You’re my best friend.”

His brain snapped back to reality. The amount of effort it took to push aside his pride was almost painful. Yet, somehow, he found the ability to do so. 21 wrapped his arms firmly around 24’s waist and hugged him.

“You’re my best friend, too, man.”

How many swaths of silence had filled their conversation already? It was like every time they ran out of things to talk about, the universe just had to go and make things even weirder.

Though he was still a bit nervous about everything, 21 had to admit: this was nice.

He clung to 24 like a man to a lifesaver, breathing in deep, heavy mouthfuls of pine-scented body-spray and deodorant. The trembling was ebbing away, leaving their bodies pressed together in a much more comfortable way. There was no tension in the air, just a sense of quiet.

So very, very quiet.

21’s hands shook as he pressed them to the dip of 24’s back. He could hear his heartbeat, slow and steady and…

“ _SNRRRK_.”

What the actual hell was that.

“Dude, what—” He started, mind flipping in a desperate attempt to wrap itself around what had just transpired. It took him a good few solid moments to realize the sound he’d heard. Then the sound came again, slower this time, and more drawn-out.

It was snoring.

24 was asleep.

“Ohmygod,” 21 muttered in disbelief, “Are you freakin’ serious right now?”

He was. He was dead serious. And dead asleep.

“I can’t believe this,” 21 repeated, “I can’t believe this. We—we were having a moment and everything!”

 _“Duuude, shuddup,”_ 24 moaned. His hand patted blankly across the smaller male’s face, pressing his lips shut in a comically messy way, _“M’tryin’ ta sleep.”_

Deep breath in, 21. Don’t lose your shit.

Slowly. Gradually, he let the breath out. This wasn’t bad at all. 24 was warm, and like this, it was easy to keep a tab on his heartbeat. Something about it was almost relaxing. Rhythmic. Calming.

Though he was still a bit irritated, 21 allowed his eyes to flutter closed. Sleeping didn’t sound like that terrible of an idea right now. Until it hit him.

“I have to pee!”

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very, very much to my amazing client who asked for this piece! It's not often that I get to write for other fandoms, so getting to do this was a real fun ride. This is new territory for me, so I hope I got things right! Thank you again! <3
> 
> Reviews are greatly appreciated!
> 
> \- cinnabun


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